Poor Unfortunate Souls
by 7saix-puppy7
Summary: In a small town lurks a place that only a few can go. You can know of it and you can search for it but you will never find it, unless you have a 'poor unfortunate soul'. This little store holds secrets that the owners aren't telling.
1. Shop by the Road

Poor Unfortunate Souls

Chapter 1 Shop by the Road

A small town where the population is made up of old people, a few small families and rowdy teens who find entertainment in everything around them. The only paved road is the main one that goes through the center of the town for those who have lost their way while the others are simple dirt. No one really owns a car unless they travel a lot but for the people of Dawn, this was the place they would live for the rest of their lives.

It wasn't that they weren't smart enough to go on to the bigger cities of Rouge or Nanohana; it was more that every person in the village preferred to stay. There was a one room school house that was taught by one teacher who everyone liked. Though it was hard to not like Shanks even if he was more laid back then the teens in the school sometimes but that was something that made them all appreciate the small school that they went to.

Most families consisted of a child or two and maybe three but that was pretty rare for even if the town was small and didn't rely on outside sources, it couldn't afford to hold too many children. At the moment the village consisted of one girl who was eleven, twins who were twelve and hated each other, another boy who was a major liar who was fifteen and a small boy around eight. They all were well known to hang out with each other and often be seen together. Everybody knew everybody and you knew what to do or say to get out of situations though everyone had a little secret.

Nothing big ever happened to a no name village that was named after the fact that dawn could be seen anywhere in the town. The biggest thing that was going to happen would be a birthday party or someone getting lost in one of the many forests that surrounded the town like a barrier.

So when the store came into the town and said that they were going to be living at the end of the road, out of view of the main road and having a walk in the forest, everyone was surprised. Everyone in the village wanted to know what was being sold there yet no matter how hard they tried, nobody could find the hidden place yet rumors of what it was spread fast.

It was almost ironic how a new little boy at the age of nine appeared as well at the Merry Go house but his parents were unknown. No one questioned the boy who happily bounded about with a grin on his face but this made people nervous. Someone coming to the village from outside of it wasn't normal and when one comes with little knowledge of who he was and didn't have a family that would show their faces, people questioned. However the boy would simply laugh and smile and buy groceries before disappearing and then reappearing the next day for school.

* * *

Nami stared at the boy who was her age who was currently talking with Shanks-sensei who had instantly liked the kid and huffed. Sanji caught the girl's stare at the smaller boy and stopped fighting with his brother who began to ignore him and decided to talk to Chopper who was looking at a book that was in front of him.

"What's wrong Nami-chan?" Sanji asked the girl who turned to the blonde and smiled.

"It's nothing Sanji." Nami said as she watched the boy who was still smiling happily. "I was just curious as to who that boy is."

"Maybe we should follow him." Usopp suggested and the two kids smiled at the older teen. "I bet he lives at that new store that no one can find."

"What makes you say that?" Chopper asked and he and Zoro looked at the kid who smiled.

"It fits together perfectly. A new store that we all know has shown up but cannot find and a small boy who appears without a family." Nami said and the eight year old looked at them in admiration.

"This afternoon?" Zoro asked and the group nodded before going back to work as their teacher glanced at them from talking to the small boy in front of him.

Chopper, Nami, Usopp, Sanji and Zoro quickly ran after the boy who had disappeared as soon as school had been dismissed and watched as the boy bounded around town. The five of them easily kept up but even Zoro was impressed for how much the teen could bounce around.

They kept up easily as the boy went to the woods and walked in before they lost sight of him. It confused every last one of them for as soon as they stepped foot into the large mass of trees, the boy was out of sight. They looked around and even searched the woods until it became dark.

"I've got to go back." Chopper said as he watched the moon began to show. "Doctrine is going to be angry and Doctor will be worried."

"Yeah, Bellemere is probably worried sick about me." Nami said wrapping her arms around her before glancing down the path one last time.

"I wonder I he just disappeared like that." Usopp said as they walked out of the woods and towards the small village.

"I don't know but there really is something about that boy that I don't like." Zoro said as they exited the forest and went to the fork in the road. "I've got a feeling that he's hiding something."

"For once I agree with Marimo." Sanji said and his brother got on him.

"We'll have to ask Makino tomorrow." Nami said as she waved goodbye to her friends and ran off to her house.

* * *

"You want to know about that new boy that moved in?" Makino asked the five kids as they sat at her bar and nodded and the woman sighed as she glanced around the bar. "Well I guess I could say that…"

The teens turned towards the door that opened up and revealed Shanks who casually walked in and sat next to Usopp who glanced at Makino. The kids knew that they had blown their chance to get information out of the woman for as soon as she saw Shanks, Makino began to stutter. The green lady's face became red and she couldn't look Shanks in the eyes though the man found her embarrassment hilarious.

"S-s-so Sh-sha-Shanks-s-san, w-what w-w-would y-y-YOU LIKE!" Makino asked and the man smiled at the girl making Makino blush again.

"The usual." Shanks said before glancing at the kids who were glaring at him. "Did I do something wrong?"

"We were about to get information when you walked in." Nami said bluntly and Shanks apologized before grabbing the tankard that was handed to him.

* * *

Makino sighed as she cleaned her bar after closing time at two in the morning and glanced around the bar before laying eyes on Shanks's usual seat and smiled. A misty look was in her eyes as she thought of the man's face and smile. Makino instantly snapped out of it and hit her face a few times before putting away the rag and grabbing her coat and exiting her establishment.

Makino walked along the dirt road into the direction of her small one person house but her mind wouldn't keep Shanks out of it. She couldn't help but love the red headed fool even though he wouldn't give her the light of day. Makino sighed once again and finally stopped and just looked at her feet for she felt like doing nothing else.

Makino stood in the middle dirt road before glancing at the clear sky above her that showed the millions of stars that covered over head. She smiled at the moon that glowed a blue and silver though it wasn't a normal appearance in the town. Here the moon was either gold or its normal coloring but at the moment the bartender didn't care.

"What am I thinking?" Makino asked herself as she watched the sky. "Shanks-san would never give a boring girl like me the light of day."

Makino smiled sadly and lowered her head to look at the path ahead of her but just then noticed that she was no longer on the path that led to her house. Somehow through her daydream of Shanks she had wondered into the woods and even stayed along a path. Makino looked around and noticed the stones on part of the path that led forward before glancing back and seeing that there were none behind her. Makino looked ahead and even though the forest disappeared into darkness, the woman walked forward, tempting to find out what was at the end.

As the woman stepped on the ground, a stone behind her would disappear and she would continue to move along, neither curious as to why nor caring as to what was ahead of her. The woman wrapped her soft jacket around her tighter as the air became colder and the figure of a house came into view and the woman stopped outside of it.

It was a rather interesting looking building with large oddly shaped windows and dark wood frame. The windows were clean but due to the darkness around it, it was next to impossible to see what was in it from the outside. Makino didn't gulp as she looked at the door and noticed the sign that was placed above it and she moved forward to read it more clearly.

"One Piece?" Makino asked as she stepped onto the porch. "One piece of what?"

Makino found herself continuing to walk forward and even though she wasn't sure as to why, she kept it up until she had reached the old style door. The woman glanced at the old styled door handle and shakily reached for it. As soon as her thin pale fingers touched the cold iron, the door swung open and Makino flinched back as she stared at the dark room in front of her.

The green haired woman glanced into the room that opened up for her and nervously moved inward before the door behind her slammed shut. Makino never let go of her grip on the jacket that was wrapped around her and she turned around, taking in the store though it was too dark to see anything.

"_It appears that we have a customer."_

"Who's there?" Makino asked in a shaking voice as she looked around for the owner of the voice.

"_It seems that she has one."_

This voice belonged to another and Makino became frightened as she looked around her but another voice calmed her down a bit for it belonged to a child.

"_Does this mean that we can get started?"_

Makino instantly turned around as the lights in the room flickered on and she stared at a figure who was sitting on a table that had a candle on it. The man was tall from what Makino could tell in his sitting position even if she couldn't make out too many of his features. The only things she could see were his blood red necklace and glaring blue-silver eyes.

Another man, tall as well, was standing next to the one who was sitting on the table and Makino could make out the shine of a pair of goggles and the same eyes though they weren't as threatening. Makino than glanced at the small boy who was smiling greatly showing off all of his teeth who as well had the same color in his childish eyes.

"She can't see us all that well with these few lights on." The one with goggle said and the sitting one glanced at the man.

"But it is more dramatic with only having a few lights on." The sitting one said and the other man sighed while the younger laughed a childish giggle.

"Fine I'll turn on the lights to make you happy but I get to do this one." The one with the necklace said standing up and snapping his fingers.

Makino flinched as all the lights in the room were turned on and stared at the three other people in the room and she knew very well that she looked like a deer in headlights. The one who had turned on the lights smiled at her before instantly coming in front of the woman and grabbing her hands.

"We have a really cute one with us here." The man said and Makino became nervous before the man glanced at the small boy who had tugged at his black shorts.

"Luffy not cute?" the boy asked and Makino instantly recognized him as the new kid that was around town a lot.

The man holding her hands instantly let go and grabbed the boy in a hug and a happy face came to his features. "Of course you are." The man said to the boy who happily clinged to the man. "Luffy is the cutest ever."

"Please ignore them." The other said and Makino looked at the man who, unlike the other two who had black hair, had blonde which was hidden under a large green top hat to which the goggle were placed. "What would you like?"

"Excuse me?" Makino asked looking around confused and the two others stopped and watched the woman. "I think I just got lost wandering through the woods."

The green haired woman began to back up a bit and looked around at the three males but tripped over chair, sitting down in it by accident. The man with freckles on his face who had been hugging the one called Luffy chuckled before putting is arms on either side of the woman.

"You don't just get lost and wind up here." The man said with a smile that scared Makino who looked at the small boy shakily but Luffy just smiled at her.

"Ace we aren't trying to scare her." the one with the top hat said with a sigh and Ace chuckled before backing away.

"Fine Sabo, but tell us your problem." Ace said and Makino looked at them confused.

"Lady, if you have something wrong, you come here and we fix it." Luffy said smiling at Makino and Ace instantly grabbed the boy and squealed over him again.

"Once again ignore my brothers and say what is bothering you enough for you to appear here." Sabo said and Makino couldn't help but find herself beginning to speak.

"There is a man that I love but I am not worth it. Whenever I see him, I can't help but stutter and make myself look like a fool." Makino said and Ace looked at her before looking away.

"Eww, it's a love one, Sabo you handle this one." Ace said as he Luffy went someplace.

"Fine, we'll help you be worth him." Sabo said and Makino looked up at the man who smiled and Ace brought out a script and handed it to the woman.

Makino looked at it and then at the small boy who held up a pure white feathered pen with a smile. She then looked at the older two rather confused and Ace sighed and decided to explain what they were going to do.

"We can get you together with this man." He said and Makino's face lit up at the thought. "But we don't do this for free."

"What does it cost?" Makino asked eager for this to happen and Ace chuckled.

"You have what we call and 'poor unfortunate soul." Sabo said and Makino looked at him confused. "Our job is to turn them back to normal."

"All you have to do is sign the scroll." Luffy said cheerfully. "All it costs is your voice."

Makino looked at the boy who smiled at her in a way that made him look cute yet lethal at the same time. "If I sign, will I get to be Shanks-san's woman?" Makino asked and Ace nodded before the girl signed.

"But there is a catch." Sabo said as Ace looked at the signature before rolling up the script and storing it away. "If it doesn't work, you will have to give us your voice permanently."

"Fine." Makino said and she looked at the small candy that Luffy held up. "Do I eat it?"

"Yup, it will block your voice forever but we have the antidote." Ace said and Makino took the light blue thing nervously. "If aren't able to find your way back here within a week, the candy will take your voice and we will have it."

"A price that is worth the prize." Makino said before swallowing the thing as the three brothers grinned at her.

* * *

I personally don't like the Jonas Brothers but I love the song Poor Unfortunate Souls song by them rather than by Urcela and i couldn't help but get the idea for this. At first it was going to be Nami who was going to be a witch but this came to mind instead and I went with it. I know I messed up the ages a bit and Same with the personalities somewhat but I hope that you all like how it is going. Please tell me what you think^^


	2. What Happened to Makino

Poor Unfortunate Souls

Chapter 2 What Happened to Makino

Makino slowly and carefully opened her eyes, staring at the plain ceiling above her head. It took her a second but Makino sat straight up and looked around her, staring at the room that surrounded her before letting out and unheard sigh. _A dream, nothing but a crazy dream._

The green haired woman stood up and began to do what she did every morning; brush her hair, put on a light shade of lipstick and that was about it for her appearance. Makino looked at herself in the mirror and though back to that dream that she had had the night before.

_Be Shanks's woman huh? What am I thinking; a man like Shanks could never love me. _

Makino opened her mouth to say the prayer she said every morning but as soon as she did, a sticky feeling in her throat appeared, preventing her from speaking. Makino put her hand to her throat and thought back to what she had done in her dream.

_This will permanently block your voice but we have the antidote. If you fail to get this man to love you, and cannot find your way back here, we will have your voice forever._

Makino smiled sadly at realization that it wasn't a dream but reality but the men had said that she was going to be able to be Shank's woman. They never told her how to though; didn't she need her voice to tell him her feelings? Why did she feel like she had just taken three steps back and five forward? This made no sense to her but Makino became determined more than she had ever had before.

* * *

"Makino-san, we are back." Sanji said as he and his friends rushed into the bar though they were met by a silent bartender.

"Is something wrong Makino?" Nami asked and Makino shook her head no.

The woman wrote on a piece of paper and the kids looked at the writing though they waited for Chopper to figure out what the words meant. "So you lost your voice?' the boy asked and Makino nodded. "Maybe doctrine can help."

Makino shook her head no and Chopper sighed but let it go for he really wanted to help his friend. The woman smiled like she did when she told them that everything was fine and went back to washing dishes. The woman handed the kids their food and looked up as Shanks entered the bar like he always did. The woman felt the heat form in her face as the man sat right in front of her.

"The usual please Makino-san." The man said and the woman nodded before getting Shanks what he wanted.

"She's not flustered like usual." Usopp noted and the kids noted.

"That's probably because she lost her voice." Nami said sipping her drink.

"Oh so that's what's wrong with her." Shanks said looking at the girl who placed his food in front of him with a shy smile. "Hope you get your voice back soon."

Makino was taken aback by the kind words and quickly bowed her head as a way of thanking the red haired man for his thoughtfulness. The man laughed as Makino hit her head on the bar's counter though the kids sighed at it. The man looked at them curiously as to why they sighed and Nami decided to be the breaker of news.

"Honestly Shanks-sensei even I can see it." the orange haired girl said and they all looked at her. "Makino has a big ass crush on you."

Makino's face lit up and Shanks looked at the young kid in front of them before turning to Makino who was flustered once more and trying her hardest not to look at Shanks. The man looked at her and smiled before paying his bill and leaving the bar. Nami frowned at the action and looked at her friends who shrugged for even though they were guys they had no clue why Shanks left. Makino closed the bar since no one was coming yet and gathered the five kids around a table and had a sketch book in her hand. The woman wrote down a few words and showed it to them.

**Why did you tell Shanks-san that I liked him?**

"It's obvious to anyone that you do, he just needed to figure it out on his own." Nami said and the woman sighed.

**That ruins everything though.**

"What do you mean Makino-san?" Sanji asked and the woman decided to tell them everything.

"YOU SOLD YOUR VOICE ON THAT!" Nami asked as if someone had paid a hundred dollars for a grain of rice. "That's so stupid of you."

"Is it really possible to stop your voice with that candy though?" Zoro asked and Chopper looked at him.

"There are certain kinds of medicines that can block the voice box but not the windpipe." The boy said and they believed because of who his mother was.

**They said that it will be permanent in a week but they will give me the antidote if I can find the place again.**

"Who is they?" Nami asked and Makino quickly wrote out their names.

"That new boy is one of the people who took your voice!" Sanji asked before clenching his fist and biting into his lollipop. "I'll force him to give you back your voice."

**Please don't Sanji-chan; this might be the only way I can get Shanks-san to acknowledge my existence.**

"Makino-san wake up to reality." Nami said but the woman smiled and stood up.

**Go on home, I'm sure your parents are worried, this is something that I am going to do. They said that I can be with Shanks-san because of whatever they did and I plan on doing whatever I can to not let their efforts go to waste.**

"I wish Makino would see that Shanks-sensei already knows she exists." Nami said sweat dropping.

"Let's give her a hand." Usopp said but Zoro stopped him.

"If you were in a major fight and you said that you could defeat the man by yourself but your friends said that they would help you," the boy said, "Would you like help?"

"Good luck Makino!" Usopp said immediately understanding what Zoro was getting at.

This was a fight that Makino was going to have to do by herself.

* * *

"It seems that she has started to move." Sabo said as he watched their first costumer walk around proud and determined.

"Yeah, but I wonder if she's going to figure out that she did nothing but block her voice." Ace asked and Sabo smiled.

"Guess we just have to watch and see, also who's making dinner tonight?" the blonde asked and Ace smiled.

"Do you want anything me or Luffy make?" the black haired man asked and Sabo sighed.

"Never mind, I'll make it, I don't want to lose this house as well." The man said and Ace laughed before the two brothers disappeared back into their forest.

* * *

"Hm, what do I think of Makino?" Shanks-sensei asked his students who had questioned him about it after class one day. "I think she's pretty funny."

"That's not what I mean." Nami asked and Shanks looked at her with a smile before messing up her hair.

"I know what you mean but it would be better if you didn't get involved in adult things." the man said and the kids frowned as their sensei walked out of the room.

"Nothing." Usopp said as they walked to the door only to notice that Luffy was standing there listening, to their conversation.

"Oops, got caught." The boy said laughing slightly before dashing off.

"That kid is really suspicious." Usopp said trying to be smart.

"No duh Pinocchio," Sanji said before walking through the halls. "Makino-san did say that he was one of the people who took away Makino's voice."

"I-I know that I'm just saying that he is acting even more suspicious now!" the long nosed boy said though he was ignore completely.

"Anyway, let's hope that Makino knows what she's doing." Nami said and the kids agreed.

* * *

Not how I wanted it to go but I wanted to publish it today and I'm not feeling well so this is all you get for now. Sorry for the really late update.


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